AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Mike Witt Getting on Track for Yankees

All Mike Witt can count on now is being ready for his next start.

Witt continued his comeback from major elbow surgery with seven strong innings as the New York Yankees defeated the struggling Milwaukee Brewers, 5-1, Tuesday night at New York.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be the same,” Witt said. “I’m probably a better pitcher, but I don’t have the same velocity.”

Witt (2-0) followed up a solid seven-inning, six-hit effort against the Angels last week with an even better performance against the Brewers. He gave up an unearned run and three hits, walking one and striking out eight.

“I had decent stuff and got it over the plate,” Witt said. “My arm is feeling better, stronger.”

The Yankees acquired Witt from the Angels in May of 1990 for Dave Winfield, but he missed most of 1991 and all of last season after surgery on his right elbow. On July 25, 1991, a tendon from his leg was used to replace a damaged ligament in his arm, putting his career in jeopardy.

Witt, 32, suffered another setback in spring training this season because of a groin injury. He made his first start on April 25.

“We hoped he would get to this point,” Manager Buck Showalter said. “He knew Mike was hard working and was doing everything he could to get back into shape. But you can never count on someone coming back from major surgery like that.”

Boston 4, Baltimore 0--Roger Clemens pitched a five-hitter at Baltimore for his 35th career shutout, striking out a season-high 13 as the Red Sox ended a three-game losing streak.

Clemens, lowering his earned-run average to 1.73, walked two and did not allow a runner past second base until the ninth inning. It was the 53rd time in his 10-year career that he has struck out at least 10 batters.

Mike Greenwell got three hits and Ivan Calderon hit his first home run for the the Red Sox.

Ben McDonald (2-4) gave up four runs on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Detroit 12, Toronto 7--Alan Trammell and Travis Fryman drove in three runs each and Milt Cuyler had a career-high four hits for the Tigers at Toronto.

Bill Gullickson (1-0) gave up five runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings in his first start of the season following arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder and right knee last January.

He threw only 65 pitches, 52 for strikes, struck out three and didn’t walk a batter.

Todd Stottlemyre (3-4) gave up six runs, five earned, on four hits in 2 2/3 innings, his shortest start of the season. He struck out three and walked three.

Kansas City 7, Cleveland 6--Mike Macfarlane’s double--the last of three consecutive pinch hits by Kansas City--capped a two-run seventh inning for the Royals at Cleveland.

Kevin Appier (3-3) won despite giving up five runs and 13 hits in 7 1/3 innings. Dennis Cook (1-1) was the loser.

Oakland 6, Texas 0--Bobby Witt cooled off the Rangers, pitching a three-hitter at Oakland.

Texas, which was hitting .306 in its last eight games, managed only a single by Jose Canseco in the sixth, an infield hit by Dave Hulse in the eighth and a double by Canseco in the ninth.

Witt (3-1), who spent almost eight seasons in the Rangers’ organization before coming to Oakland in the Canseco trade last August, walked five and struck out six in his first appearance against his former team. The shutout was the sixth of his career.

Mark McGwire drove in two runs in the first inning with a double against Kenny Rogers (3-2).

Seattle 4, Chicago 3--Randy Johnson gave up only two hits in seven innings and struck out nine at Seattle.

Johnson (5-2) increased his major league-leading strikeout total to 63 and slowed a White Sox team that had won 11 of 13 games, including five in a row.

Johnson improved his career record against the White Sox at 8-1, including six in a row dating to 1990. His fastball was clocked at 99 m.p.h. in the first and second innings and at 98 in the seventh.